Cornwall rail users have been advised to only travel "if absolutely necessary" this week, as rail strikes are set to take place.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) at Network Rail and 14 train operators are set to walk out.

Great Western Railway (GWR) has said it will operate as many trains as possible during the strike action, however, most train services will be affected on the days announced.

Services that do run will start late and finish early with lines open from around 7.30am until 6.30pm and last trains leaving considerably earlier than that. 

In Cornwall no rail services will operate on Wednesday or Saturday on the following routes: 

  • All lines in Cornwall, including all branch lines
  • Beyond (west of) Exeter towards Plymouth / Cornwall (due to no contingency signallers

Other routes further up the line are also affected. 

Passengers should also expect disruption on the morning of Thursday, July 28, with a later start to services as employees return to duties.

Falmouth Packet: Passengers should plan ahead, as only limited services will be running (PA)Passengers should plan ahead, as only limited services will be running (PA) (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

Separately, train drivers’ union Aslef has called for strike action across seven train operators on Saturday, July 30 which will significantly disrupt some routes, so passengers are asked to check their journeys before travelling over the weekend as well. 

GWR has said only four of its services will run on "an extremely limited" basis: 

  • Bristol Temple Meads-London Paddington
  • Bristol Temple Meads-Cardiff Central
  • Reading to Oxford
  • Reading to Basingstoke

Network Rail Southern region managing director John Halsall said: “I’m so sorry for the disruption, and I know it comes on top of some really difficult days for passengers this summer. We have specially-trained staff preparing to come in on Wednesday to keep some lines open, but it will be a very limited service. 

“I can only thank our passengers, who have shown immense patience over this dispute and the disruption. Please do check before you travel on the 27th, paying particular attention to the times of your last trains home – they will be very early - and only travel if absolutely necessary.” 

What to do if your journey is affected by the strike?

If passengers with an advance, off-peak or anytime ticket are affected by the strike on July 27 or 30, they can use their ticket either on the day before the date on the ticket or up to and including Tuesday, August 2.

Passengers can also change their tickets to travel on an alternate date, or get a refund if their train is cancelled or rescheduled. 

Additionally, passengers with a season ticket that is monthly or longer, or have an activated day’s worth of travel on a flexi season ticket who choose not to travel on July 27 or 30, can claim compensation for these days through the delay repay scheme. Further information is on the National Rail website.